Steel buyers responding to this week’s SMU market survey report a continued softening in sheet lead times. Meanwhile, plate lead times have moderately extended and are at a one-year high.
Nearly half of the steel buyers responding to this week’s SMU market survey say domestic mills are showing increased willingness to negotiate pricing on new spot orders. This marks a significant shift from the firmer stance mills held in prior weeks.
Steel prices slipped again this week, with all five of SMU’s sheet and plate indices trending lower for the second week in a row.
Cleveland-Cliffs opened its May order book for spot material at $975 per short ton (st).
The volume of steel exported from the US declined in February, reversing January’s surge, according to the latest US Department of Commerce figures. This comes just two months after export levels had fallen to a two-year low.
This week is the first time all of our indices have moved lower in unison since July 2024.
Nucor’s consumer spot price (CSP) for hot-rolled (HR) coil remains unchanged again this week. The pause over the past two weeks stands in contrast to the nine-week rally that saw the company increase prices regularly by double-digits. The Charlotte, N.C.-based steelmaker told customers on Monday that this week’s consumer spot price (CSP) for HR coil […]
The US Commerce Department on Friday released preliminary anti-dumping margins in a trade case targeted imports of coated flat-rolled steel from 10 countries. Certain countries and mills were hammered while others were largely spared. Brazilian steelmaker CSN, for example, received a preliminary rate of 137.76%. Some Turkish mills – including Boreclik and ArcelorMittal Celik Ticaret – received no dumping margin at all.
Four out of every five steel buyers who responded to our latest market survey say domestic mills are unwilling to negotiate on new order spot pricing. Mills have shown little flexibility on pricing for nearly two months.
SMU’s Monthly Review provides a summary of our key steel market metrics for the previous month, with the latest data updated through March 31.
SMU's steel price indices moved in differing directions this week but remained largely stable as cautious buyers await clarity on pending steel tariffs and trade cases.
After a multi-week increase, buyers responding to our market survey this week reported that lead times are stabilizing or marginally declining for each of the sheet and plate products we track.
The majority of the steel buyers responding to our latest market survey continue to report that domestic mills remain firm on pricing, showing little willingness to talk price on new spot orders this week.
Steel prices were stable to higher this week for the second consecutive week across the sheet and plate products tracked by SMU. Three of our price indices increased from the previous week, while two held firm.
After over a month of increases, steel prices paused this week for some of the products tracked by SMU. Three of our price indices continued to climb, while two held steady from the prior week.
Nucor has increased its weekly HR coil spot price for seven consecutive weeks.
Buyers responding to our latest market survey reported longer lead times this week on all of the sheet and plate products SMU tracks.
The majority of the steel buyers responding to our latest market survey reported that domestic mills are not open to negotiating prices on new orders this week.
Steel prices climbed across the board this week, with every steel product tracked by SMU rising to multi-month highs.
SMU’s Monthly Review provides a summary of key SMU steel market metrics for the previous month, with the latest data updated through February 28th.
Nucor has increased its list price for hot-rolled (HR) coil to $900 per short ton (st), according to a letter to customers on Monday. The Charlotte, N.C.-based steelmaker’s list price for HR is up $40/st from $860/st last week and up $125/st from $775/st a month ago, according to SMU’s mill price announcement calendar. The […]
Market participants might disagree over how high flat-rolled steel price might go and for how long they might remain elevated. But there is near total agreement on one thing: Prices are up sharply again this week. The gains come on the heels of waves of mill price increases (for sheet and for plate), expectations that scrap prices will rise again in March, and the threat of tariffs looming over the market.
Cleveland-Cliffs said it will open its April order book for spot material at $900 per short ton (st). The Cleveland-based steelmaker said the increase was necessary because of “rapidly changing market conditions” in a letter to customers dated Friday, Feb. 21.
Buyers responding to our latest market survey reported that steel mill lead times were stretching out this week for sheet and plate products tracked by SMU. The results weren’t much of a surprise. Production times have begun moving out following a wave of frenzied buying in response to stricter Section 232 announced by the Trump […]
Nucor has increased its consumer spot price (CSP) for hot-rolled (HR) coil for a fourth consecutive week.
Flat rolled = 66 shipping days of supply Plate = 54.3 shipping days of supply Flat rolled US service center flat-rolled steel supply declined in January month on month (m/m) but is up about 10% year on year (y/y), according to SMU data. At the end of January, US service centers carried 66 shipping days […]
Each of the steel product prices tracked by SMU saw significant increases this week. All four of our sheet price indices rose by $30-50 per short ton (st) on average. Plate prices popped $60/st compared to the week prior.
While we have seen some movements in recent weeks, steel mill production times remain within a few days of the historical lows observed over the last two years, a trend observed since mid-2024.
There's a lot of production waiting to come online
ArcelorMittal is targeting a minimum base price of $800 per short ton (st) for hot-rolled coil. The steelmaker is also seeking $1,050/st for cold-rolled product and $1,000/st for coated material, according to a letter to customers dated Wednesday.